I've been excited for Coach's Spring 2015 handbags to arrive ever since I saw them at the brand's runway show back in September; the collection felt modern and light-hearted, like it could bridge the gap between the brand's longtime fans and the fashion-forward audience that Coach hopes to attract. The collection also includes the brand's latest artist collaboration, Coach x Baseman.

The Baseman bags, which feature adorable little monsters, are the fashion bait of the collection, meant to appeal to a consumer group that watches runway trends and wants to buy things that are weird, distinctive and limited-edition. There has already been a notable response to these bags and the rest of the Coach x Baseman line, so it seems like cute beasties are a bet that will pay off.

For a more mainstream customer, the collection also debuts a new marquee bag style for the brand, the Swagger. It's an East-West tote that currently comes in three sizes, and although it's not innovating any new territory or starting any new trends, the execution and options are solid. In particular, the mini metallics are a lot of fun.

"Fun" is probably the best word to describe everything that's going on with this collection, actually. The colors are pastel without being too sweet, and the details and embellishments elevate the bags without making the designs seem self-serious. For Stuart Vevers' second full collection with the brand, there's been a lot of growth.

From the moment we entered the Coach Spring 2015 show, it was clear that creative director Stuart Vevers has yet to end his love affair with the idea of traditional Americana. From the engine sounds on the soundtrack to the flat, dusty West Texas vistas on the walls, the theme was much subtler in the bags, outwear and clothes than it was in the collection’s surroundings.

Although the collection’s western influences were occasionally visible – a utility vest here, a swath of rivets there – the end result was both softer and lighter than expected, down to the pastel metallics, fuzzy furs and little cartoon monsters from California artist Gary Baseman.

If bags are your primary concern (as they are ours), Coach’s big Spring 2015 push is an east-west satchel called the Swagger, which, by the looks of the runway, will come in two arm-carried sizes as well as a shrink-rayed mini crossbody. Take a look at our photos from the show below–what do you think of the collection?

As we all know, Coach is in the middle of a rebranding effort to make itself palatable to a more discerning, higher-spending clientele, and it looks like that transition has now begun in earnest. Although Stuart Vevers’ first Coach collection has yet to start arriving in stores, the brand’sextremely slick ad campaign has already made the rounds, and now we have our first glimpse at the brand’s first in-store installation under its new creative director. It involves giant animal heads.

There’s a lot to love in this campaign–which was shot in the DUMBO neighborhood of Brooklyn and includes the images on the site, in-store displays and a short film directed by James Lima–especially if you went through a Donnie Darko phase. When I showed it to the rest of the PurseBlog team and a few friends in the industry to get their initial reactions, they were almost overwhelmingly positive; sure, it’s weird, but it’s weird in a way that you’d never expect of Coach, all while keeping with some of the stylized New York-ness that has characterized much of the company’s branding in recent years. It’s Coach on mescaline.

Perhaps my favorite part of this, which is termed a “window campaign” by the brand, is how matter-of-fact it is. It’s not self-conscious of its giant animal heads, which include a horse, a rabbit and a bird in bright colors. Instead, the models wearing them are filmed and photographed doing the mundanely high-end tasks that contemporary-luxury campaigns often depict, like going to coffee shops and perusing record stores. It’s like Coach is daring you to ask what’s going on with the rabbit and her buddies.

Check out a few screen shots from the film below, and to check out the full thing (plus Coach’s new arrivals), head over to Coach.com now.

Good day, PurseForum Roundup readers! Unbelievably, it’s the last Roundup for June, which puts us halfway through 2014! This week, we visited Jimmy Choo, where we found some beautiful reveals of shoes and bags. We also found some super finds in Coach, including a rare bag marking a Coach milestone! A visit to the Wardrobe had us pondering our personal style, and there was loads to see in Louis Vuitton. And that’s not all!

Jimmy Choo Anouks are certainly one of the most beloved and iconic shoes styles in the fashion universe. Shoegalkirsty took a moment to reveal her first pair this week, in absolutely classic and gorgeous black. Our member JustShoeMe took a walk on the wilder side of Jimmy Choo with her first pair of Choos, the striking and stylish Heath. Of course Jimmy Choo makes more than shoes, and this beautiful Rania bag sure put a smile on Izzy48′s face this month!

Scottish Girl’s fun new birthday clutch sure put a smile on ours, and this little gem looks splendid in fire engine red. The front page of this subforum is full of reveals, so be sure to drop in and see what our Jimmy Choo fans have added to their collections. If you are a Choo fan, theLet’s Talk about Jimmy Choo Shoes thread is the place to visit if you cant get enough of these fabulous shoes.

Louis Vuitton lovers make LV one of our busiest subforums, and this week we found plenty of reveals. RhondaE is back after a little hiatus with a brand new bag; you can catch a better look at this charming epi Alma in her updated family photo, it’s actually a soft mint green perfect for summer. Bajan Love’s patience really paid off when she found her dream bag completely by chance and got a steal of a deal!

BellaNLawrence gave us some food for thought when she asked if age and the desire for vintage bags go hand in hand in this new thread. Marguch showed off her new shawl and got some support when she had a little bit of a mishap. The June purchases thread is understandably one of the hottest on the PurseForum, and bag buys like Love2learn’s new Speedy and ivy1026′s sleek black Marly are among the many reasons why.

Remember, if you are considering a purchase, all of our subforums have extensive Reference Libraries like this one to help you find your way.

This week in The Wardrobe, we paid a visit to the Outfit of the Day thread, the perfect place to find fashion inspiration from our own PurseForum members. Agalorowicz showed off her casual style with this cute summer outfit in a soft beige palette. We also paid a visit to bakeacookie’s new Stylebook thread, which we love. The outfits are terrific and the advice worth its weight in gold. We hope to see more of these stylebooks in the very near future!

We didn’t want to leave this busy subforum without a shoutout to one of our favorite threads: The Women of a Certain Age thread in The Wardrobe, a raucous place bursting with snappy commentary accompanying inspiring photographs of stylish ladies who are getting it right in the second half of life. June has been especially busy in this wonderful thread, and we hope you enjoy your visit as much as we did!

Over in the Bag Showcase, we found a really outstanding thread that we had missed:Manelight’s collection thread. She has paired lower-priced bags like this pretty green Fossil bag with well-chosen wardrobe pieces for unique and beautiful looks. We love when our members inspire us by stepping a little out of the mainstream. (Though we love the mainstream, too!)

Speaking of mainstream bags we love, minigingerbread managed to get all of her Chanel bags to sit still long enough for this beautiful family photo that we had to share with you all. Be sure to catch the close up of the cute little pouch, and its charming story.

Trendiebaggie also shared her bag family this month, and this busy mom is not fooling around – her bags are amazing! We also took a moment to do what PurseBlog team members love almost as much buying ourselves new bags – looking inside YOUR bags! The What’s in Your Chanel thread provides endless entertainment if you love small leather goods and purse goodies, and we know you do! Also, at press time, ilovecocochanel revealed this fantastic new Boy, a must see!

In Coach, bags seem to be flying off the shelves and into the closets of our members. This week, in the Your New Coach Mini-Reveal thread, we found a sweet bag find frombuffalochick, and then another! Iluvcoach also added a new Phoebe, and its little friend, too! Elsewhere in Coach, our members are also discussing the latest news about Coach’s restructuring, and what makes a Coach bag classic.

We also found something very special, as lucky member CoachCruiser shared a rare treasure she found on eBay, and lucky you – you can see the whole bag right here in all its glory! Not to toot our own horn, but the official Coach Fall 2014 Preview thread is one of the hottest in this subforum, and you can join in the conversation any time!

That finishes up our Roundup for the last Friday in June, and we hope you have enjoyed our little romp through the PurseForum. We always love sharing bags and all the other wonderful things our forum has to offer, and we will be back in July with more. In the meantime, have a fabulous summer weekend and enjoy the week ahead!

Late last week when LVMH announced that it had taken a controlling stake in the business of young British shoe designer Nicholas Kirkwood, a good portion of the buzz surrounding the sale centered on which other young company might be next. Even before that sale, rumors flew about LVMH and British ready-to-wear and menswear brand JW Anderson, and now those rumors have come to fruition. Not only does LVMH now own a minority stake in the brand itself, but founder/designer John Anderson will be taking over the creative helm at LVMH-owned Loewe.

Yesterday’s announcement of the simultaneous moves helps bring into focus some of the last bits of a game of designer musical chairs that started when Reed Krakoff left Coach months ago. Emma Hill then left Mulberry, and speculation was rampant that either she would go to Coach, or Marc Jacobs would leave Louis Vuitton at the end of his contract and move on to the American contemporary giant. None of that came to fruition; instead, Stuart Vevers left Loeweout of the blue to take the Coach helm, and although no one knows when he’ll actually start at Coach (or when Krakoff will make his exit final), that left Loewe without a designer. With the brand’s recent momentum, it seemed likely that LVMH wouldn’t want to let Loewe linger without a creative director for long, and sure enough, here comes Anderson to take that spot.

JW Anderson first rose to prominence for his menswear, and as his profile expanded, so did his brand, specifically to women’s wear. Considering his story and background, his aesthetic is approximately what you’d expect – very modern and often a bit sporty, with a note of British traditionalism peeking out every one in a while. Much of it (expect perhaps the men’s shift dresses) is very wearable and fits well with the industry’s current interest in streetwear, but with a more thoughtful finish. It will be interesting to see what kind of marriage it’ll be between the young Londoner and the old Spanish leather goods brand in particular. Here’s hoping that an influx of LVMH money also expands Anderson’s eponymous brand to include handbags is well.

To both invest in JW Anderson and appoint him the head of one of its brands, LVMH must see quite the future for John Anderson. It’s the same kind of setup the conglomerate bestowed upon Marc Jacobs over a decade ago.

I know you think that being petite might be a problem for you something but you don’t have to see it like this. Did you know that most man find petite woman very attractive? I’ve asked a few guys around and even though they couldn’t explain it, this is how they feel. But dressing properly is a totally different thing and today I’m going to try to shed some light.

There are a few rules you need to follow but it also depends on your style and your body figure. The golden rule is choosing the right elements that don’t split your waist line, so match high waisted skirts or pants and a cropped blouse. It’s advised that petite women choose one color straight pants, preferably something not too dark but they should be longer than your ankles. As for the blouses, try to avoid baggy shirts.

Now let’s talk about shoes. High helps are the best option, no matter the event. You can upgrade you collection with some Christian Louboutin replica shoes or Saint Laurent, they are beautiful. If you’re not comfortable wearing heels, you can go for a pair of wedge sandals or shoes; as for the color, nude is the safest choice if you don’t like taking risks. Try to avoid booties or strappy sandals – they will make you legs shorter than they actually are.

Here comes my favorite part, designer purses. Coach handbags are very popular these days and at least one celebrity owns one. You can also take a look at some Gucci purses, or any other brand you might like, there are endless possibilities. Just keep in mind that oversized bags are not really your friend, but don’t be afraid of wear medium or large designer purses.

If you like the Gucci purses I’ve shown you today, you can find them here. If you have other suggestion, leave me a comment below.